Actor/Prankster Climbs Hollywood Sign Holding Banner That Says 'I'm Back'

HOLLYWOOD (CBSLA.com)  —  Police on Wednesday were engaged with a man later identified as a Hollywood actor and stuntman who climbed the iconic Hollywood sign.

He climbed up the D and held a sign that appeared to say "I'm back."

At first, and for about 40 minutes, it was unclear if the man was protesting something, doing something promotional or looking for attention.

"Whatever he's doing," reported Stu Mundel in Sky2, "it's not legal."

The LAPD was on scene trying to coax the man down.

He came down for a while, rested on the side of a hill and then apparently out of breath attempted to climb the sign again.

On social media, several people said they believed the man is Vitaly Zdorovetskiy, Hollywood actor/stuntman most known for  a movie called "Natural Born Pranksters."

Zdorovetskiy has appeared in a series of videos on YouTube in which he and colleagues prank people and the promo for the movie says they have "outgrown the Internet."

Yesterday, on Twitter he promised "a big stunt" for "The Welcome BACK video."

He also said "Thursday Miami" but after LAPD takes him into custody, his appearance in Miami seems a bit uncertain. Police said Zdorovetskiy would spend at least a night in jail.

A Zdorovetskiy fan tweeted that he was at the Hollywood sign and on the way down stopped to take a picture.

On Wednesday evening, Zdorovetskiy confirmed his identity to KCAL9's Andrea Fujii.

She spoke to him while he sat in the back of a patrol car.

"The villains missed me," he said, "They really missed me, the villains. And I had to show them who's back -- 'Natural Born Pranksters.' Nothing can stop us."

Zdorovetskiy said he enjoyed his times on the sign.

"It's nice and peaceful," he said. "You see the whole LA, thought about my life and where it went. It was good."

An Australian tourist got more than she bargained for while visiting the famous landmark.

"He just said hello to us on the way down," says Rebecca Rule. "He was really friendly so he didn't seem too fazed that he got arrested."

Police said Zdorovetskiy was arrested for this same stunt last year.